Flash Flood — El Paso, Colorado

2005-06-21 · near Colorado Spgs, El Paso, Colorado

Event narrative

A severe thunderstorm moved south across the eastern side of Colorado Springs, causing copious amounts of hail and heavy rain. Two teenage boys were in a drainage culvert on Cottonwood Creek near Woodmen Road and Austin Bluffs Parkway, when the wave of water hit, and both drowned. Farther south, near the Citadel Mall, poor drainage caused a 3 to 4 foot deep lake to develop with massive amounts of hail pouring into the deep water. Several vehicles were stranded and dozens of rescues took place. Some motorists and passengers suffered minor hypothermia in the icy cold water. Still farther south, the pavement on a bridge on Airport Road over Spring Creek was damaged by high, fast moving water.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.9500, -104.7500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5455383. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.